The Illinois department of public health says that 38 counties in Illinois are seeing more Covid-19 cases.
CARTERVILLE, Ill. (WSIL) ---The Illinois Department of Public Health says that 38 counties in Illinois are seeing more COVID-19 cases. Dr. Jeff Ripperda with Shawnee Health says four viruses have been in heavy circulation locally for the last two months.
“Those are Influenza, COVID, RSV, and Rhinovirus,� Dr. Ripperda said.
Dr. Ripperda says people should use their judgment when attending holiday celebrations.
“It's the time that people travel in from out of town who again have spent a lot of time and money to get to spend time with you and with your family and it just kind of stinks if you get sick,� Dr. Ripperda said.
Toneka Grigsby says she is not worried about getting sick because she is taking precautions.
“Trying to keep myself hydrated, and getting my vitamin C in just things like that,� Grigsby said.
Lakyn Winner added that if she felt sick she'd stay home.
“Washing my hands, staying away from people who are sick,� Winner said.
Dr. Ripperda says people should be cautious, like Winner, if they are feeling sick too.
“A good rule of thumb to follow is that if somebody is running a fever, they really need to avoid family gatherings for the next 24 hours,� Dr. Ripperda says. “If you're not sure how to define a fever, any temperature of 100 degrees or above under the tongue is a pretty good cutoff to use for that.�
He shared that people should be extra cautious for newborns, the immunocompromised, and the elderly. Dr. Ripperda recalls having a patient in their 90s who died after being exposed to a respiratory illness during the holidays.
“One particular family member just ignored the fact that they had a respiratory illness and every single person at that party got the respiratory illness and grandma died of that illness,� Dr. Ripperda said.
He says if you're feeling sick before it's time to go back to work or school, it's best to stay home.
“I know a lot of people sort of feel that they've earned this badge of honor if they say, ‘Well, I never take a sick day. I went to work with a 103-degree fever.� Well, that was stupid,� Dr. Ripperda says. “Especially if you work with other people because you're exposing other people to something that you didn't have to expose them to.�
